Air disaster - 22nd May 2010

Grim news this morning. A plane has crashed on landing at Mangalore airport which is about 200 km away from Trivandrum, killing 158 of 166 passengers. I am flying north, and there is a big screen at Trivandrum airport with the Indian channel, CNN IBN, running it wall to wall. This is unfortunately the way news is broadcast in India from the English-speaking channels I have watched. All the speculation, all the guesswork, and interviews with people who don’t know what really happened either. This is one of Indian TVs less endearing traits – picking a story to pieces before they have all the facts. The looked at pilot error, something on the runway, the weather. It wasn’t the most cheery thing to have on in a departure lounge. They then put the names of the deceased on the ticker tape below the screen; this only 6 hours after the event. I’ve only known UK broadcasting – guess I’ve been spoilt.